UNF players lend their expertise, allowing parents to watch Jags.

Corey Metlin, 4, gets some base-running incentive from University of North Florida pitcher Nick Albritton during the Joes vs. Pros baseball mini-camp Sunday afternoon at the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville. Proceeds from the event benefit Haven Hospice, including Camp Safe Haven for children who have lost a loved one.

Emiliana Akers, 3, shows off the baseball she got autographed by many of the UNF players.

Football season may be in full swing, but Sunday afternoon, it was still about baseball at the Joes vs. Pros Family Extravaganza.

The University of North Florida baseball team came out to the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville to help younger players through all the elements of the game.

It was a fundraiser for Haven Hospice, which has its administrative offices in Gainesville but which provides hospice care for 18 North Florida counties. Tim Bowen, Haven Hospice president, said he hoped to raise $25,000 to $30,000 through ticket sales and sponsors. Last year, the first for the event, raised close to $20,000. Bowen said about 200 tickets were sold this year.

The money will go to Camp Safe Haven, a day camp for youths who have lost someone close.

“Kids process grief differently than adults do,” Bowen said. “We talk about it. They need activities, and it has to be fun.”

A few dozen kids showed up to try their hand at running bases, hitting, bunting, fielding and pitching. (Parents tended to gather around a TV to watch the Jaguars game, which started at the same time.)

And there were different skill levels. Paul Karmeris, an Ospreys catcher, worked with would-be bunter Dane Laroucque, showing him how to bend his knees and get the bat head up.

Actually, 10-year-old Dane said he played baseball “about four years ago,” but really just came to keep his friend, Wyatt Collins, company.

Tim Parenton, assistant coach for the Ospreys, said the camp was strictly volunteer for the players, but the entire team came out.

“Some of the older players didn’t come last year,” he said, “but the rest came back talking about how fun it was.”

There were other things going on as well. The Legacy baton twirlers twirled away. Jugglers juggled, even running the bases while juggling.

A handful of stands sold hot dogs, drinks and various merchandise.

Haven Hospice had its own stand there, part of its Attic store selling donated gifts. The Orange Park store just opened in March, but the stores in Gainesville and Lake City made a profit of $525,000 last year to help fund the hospice clients who don’t have insurance.

“We just got a truck,” said Michael Ingram, who’s in charge of the stores. “Now we can pick up big items — and we really need furniture.”

Haven Hospice has been around for 32 years, Bowen said, and has worked with close to 50,000 patients. There are plans to open a hospice facility on Blanding Boulevard in Orange Park next summer.